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Weird History of National Library, Kolkata

The National Library is located at the Belvedere Road in Alipore, Kolkata in the state of West Bengal. It is known for its rare collection of books. Belvedere House, as the National Library building was known during the British Raj was among the several buildings built in Alipore by Mir Jafar during the 1760s. He gifted it to the first Governor General of India, Lord Warren Hastings. Later Hastings sold it and the house became the official residence of the Lt Governor of Bengal. From 1854 to 1911, Belvedere housed a number of Lt Governors till the British capital shifted to Delhi.

The haunted secret of National Library: The discovery of hidden chamber

National Library has earned the reputation of being haunted. There is a secret behind it. A mysterious room has been discovered in the 250-year-old building, a room that no one knew and no body can enter to that room. The reason is that the room has no opening of kind, not even trapdoors. The chamber has lain untouched for over two centuries. No body knew what the room holds. The archaeologists who discovered it have no clue either. According to their theories it can be a torture chamber by Hastings or one of the Lt Governors who succeeded him, a sealed tomb or a treasure room as British used to hide their treasures in blind chambers. Some say even skeletons and jewels may come out of that secret room. A lot of effort was made to locate an opening to the room to find out the reason for its construction and the secret within it, but there was not a single crack in it. National Library authorities have written to the ministry of culture seeking permission for this as they cannot drill into a building of great historical significance without permission.

National Library Myths

It is also said that the footsteps of the Governor General’s wife can still be heard. The posts of the night guards also keep changing as most of them do not want to work in night shifts. They said they have observed the vision of a spirit.

Another Story

There is another story associated to the new building at the library. At the time of its construction, some of the workers met with an accident and died on spot. Now it is believed that their spirits are not freed from that area and they still linger there.

According to eyewitnesses

Two eyewitnesses told Kolkata Mirror that they have seen black images fading in front of their eyes. Both fell sick four days later. Times of India have also reported the discovery of the secret and sealed chamber.